Sensor assembly for a vehicle and multi-circuit braking system having redundant control and rotation rate information communication

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a sensor assembly for a vehicle, comprising: a speed sensor for each vehicle wheel that detects an rpm-dependent and/or rotational-speed-dependent physical variable, which is used to ascertain speed information; a primary control unit, which analyses the speed information to perform first braking functions; and a secondary control unit, which analyses the speed information to perform second braking functions. A control unit is positioned close to each of the vehicle wheels, and is connected to the speed sensor associated with the corresponding wheel and receives a sensor signal and determines the speed information for the corresponding vehicle wheel, the primary control device and a further control device receiving the speed information for analysis in real time, and the control devices making the speed information available in the form of first sensor data to a central network over a databus for distribution in the vehicle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A sensor assembly for a vehicle, the sensor assembly comprising:
 a rotation rate sensor for each respective vehicle wheel of the vehicle, each of the rotation rate sensors being configured to detect at least one physical variable of the respective vehicle wheel that is at least one of rpm-dependent and rotational-speed-dependent, the physical variable being used to ascertain rotation rate information for the respective vehicle wheel; 
 a primary controller configured to analyze the rotation rate information ascertained for each of the respective vehicle wheels and to perform first braking functions of the vehicle based on the rotation rate information; 
 a secondary controller configured to analyze the rotation rate information ascertained for each of the respective vehicle wheels and to perform second braking functions of the vehicle based on the rotation rate information; and 
 a respective controller corresponding to each of the respective vehicle wheels, each of the respective controllers being directly connected to the corresponding rotation rate sensor of the respective vehicle wheel and being configured to receive a sensor signal from the corresponding rotation rate sensor and determine the rotation rate information for the respective vehicle wheel from the sensor signal, each of the respective controllers being configured to provide the rotation rate information to a central network over a databus for distribution in the vehicle, each of the respective controllers being configured to provide the rotation rate information directly to the primary controller and the secondary controller via a point-to-point connection, 
 wherein at least two of the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels are each electrically connected via an electrical connection to a corresponding actuator of an electric parking brake configured to carry out a parking brake function, the parking brake function being activated in the at least two of the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels via sensor data which is transmitted over the central network and the databus to the at least two of the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels. 
 
     
     
       2. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the rotation rate sensors are electrically connected to the respective controller corresponding to the respective vehicle wheel via a respective two-wire conductor. 
     
     
       3. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels are configured to provide additional rotation rate information over the databus and the central network for distribution in the vehicle, the additional rotation rate information being of a different type than the rotation rate information. 
     
     
       4. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least two of the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels each generate control signals and output the control signals via the electrical connection to the corresponding actuator of the electric parking brake. 
     
     
       5. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a manual operating element of the parking brake function is electrically connected to one of (i) the primary controller, (ii) at least one additional controller, and (iii) the central network. 
     
     
       6. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least two of the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels are arranged on a common vehicle axle. 
     
     
       7. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the primary controller and one of the respective controllers corresponding to the wheel are implemented by shared hardware. 
     
     
       8. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels are each electrically connected to an environment sensor configured to detect at least one accident-relevant physical variable and transmit a corresponding sensor signal to the respective controller corresponding to the respective vehicle wheel. 
     
     
       9. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels provide the sensor signals of the environment sensors over the databus to the central network as third sensor data for distribution in the vehicle. 
     
     
       10. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels each have a redundant power supply. 
     
     
       11. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one additional controller is connected to the central network, the at least one additional controller including at least one of (i) a drive controller configured to drive an inverter of an electric drive of the vehicle, and (ii) a central controller configured to calculate motion trajectories. 
     
     
       12. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the primary controller is configured to control one of (i) an ESP system and (ii) an ESP system with a vacuum-independent electro-hydraulic servo-assisted braking system. 
     
     
       13. The sensor assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the secondary controller is configured to control one of (i) a vacuum-independent electro-hydraulic brake booster and (ii) a redundant brake unit. 
     
     
       14. A multi-circuit braking system for a vehicle, the multi-circuit braking system comprising:
 a plurality of wheel brakes each arranged on a vehicle wheel of the vehicle; 
 a sensor assembly configured to detect at least one physical variable of corresponding wheels that is at least one of rpm-dependent and rotational-speed-dependent; 
 a primary controller configured to analyze rotation rate information ascertained for each of the respective vehicle wheels to perform first braking functions of the vehicle; 
 a secondary controller configured to analyze the rotation rate information ascertained for each of the respective vehicle wheels to perform second braking functions of the vehicle; and 
 wherein the sensor assembly includes (i) a rotation rate sensor for each vehicle wheel of the vehicle, each of the rotation rate sensors being configured detect the at least one physical variable of the respective vehicle wheel, the physical variable being used to the ascertain rotation rate information for the respective vehicle wheel and (ii) a respective controller corresponding to each of the respective vehicle wheels, each of the respective controllers being directly connected to the corresponding rotation rate sensor of the respective vehicle wheel and being configured to receive a sensor signal from the corresponding rotation rate sensor and determine the rotation rate information for the respective vehicle wheel from the sensor signal, each of the respective controllers being configured to provide the rotation rate information to a central network over a databus for distribution in the vehicle, each of the respective controllers being configured to provide the rotation rate information directly to the primary controller and the secondary controller via a point-to-point connection, 
 wherein at least two of the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels are each electrically connected via an electrical connection to a corresponding actuator of an electric parking brake configured to carry out a parking brake function, the parking brake function being activated in the at least two of the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels via sensor data which is transmitted over the central network and the databus to the at least two of the respective controllers corresponding to the respective vehicle wheels. 
 
     
     
       15. The multi-circuit braking system as claimed in  claim 14 , where the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.